Volleyball cover

ABSTRACT

A volleyball cover is made of six equal panel sections. Each panel section is divided into two cover panels, making a total of twelve cover panels on the volleyball. Each cover panel has a plurality of dimples arranged in a uniform pattern across the cover panel. Cover panels are separated by very shallow skiving.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an improved cover for a volleyball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Volleyballs are typically made with “skived” panel sections. The “skive”is essentially a valley between adjacent ball panels that defines theboundary interface between the panels. Sometimes there is seam at thebottom of the skive; sometimes there is no seam, because one panel edgeabuts directly against an adjacent panel edge.

When volleyballs are used for high-level game play, the volleyballserver often likes a ball that can behave like a knuckleball duringservice. This is called a “float” serve, where the ball spins little ornot at all, thus making it more difficult for the defending team toreturn. When the ball is in-play, players like volleyballs that can be“spiked” accurately and with high velocity.

The design disclosed below has features that are intended to improveover past volleyball cover designs relative to the functions describedabove.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A volleyball cover is made from six panel sections. The six panelsections are arranged on the volleyball such that each of the sixsections are substantially equal in size.

The six sections are arranged on the cover as three symmetrical pairs ofpanel sections. One section of each pair is positioned on an oppositeside of the volleyball cover relative to the other section of the pair.Each pair of sections has a unique color.

Each section is symmetrically divided into two cover panels of equalsize. This makes a total of twelve cover panels making up the volleyballcover, each one of which is substantially identical in size (two coverpanels per panel section, multiplied by six panel sections, equals atotal of twelve cover panels). Twelve cover panels is a lesser numberfor regulation play volleyball, as per conventional volleyballspecifications.

Each cover panel includes a plurality of circular dimples uniformlyarranged on each cover panel. The circular dimples are arranged with acertain or preselected dimple density, preferably less than 500 dimplesper cover panel (6,000 dimples per cover). Moreover, each circulardimple has a dimple diameter within the range of 1 to 4 millimeters. Thedimples alter the aerodynamic characteristics of the cover.

Finally, each panel is separated from an adjacent panel by areduced-depth or no-depth skive. Aerodynamic characteristics improve asthe width and depth of the skived area between cover panels is reduced.The maximum width of the skive is no greater than 1 centimeter; and themaximum depth of the skive is no greater than 3 millimeters.

The above summary will become better understood upon review of theaccompanying drawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like partsthroughout the various views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a volleyball cover constructed in accordancewith the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a back-side view of the cover shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top-side view of the cover shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom-side view of the cover shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is labeled “prior art”;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the volleyball cover material;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a volleyball with the volleyballcover, from the outer surface to the inner bladder; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7, but shows thedimples in the outer volleyball cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, shown generally at 10 is a volleyball coverconstructed in accordance with the present disclosure.

As summarized above, the volleyball cover comprises six panel sections,indicated generally by arrows 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22. In FIGS. 1-4,pairs of panel sections are shown as “white” or lined for the colors“green” or “purple,” respectively. More specifically, panel sections 12,14 are white; panel sections 16, 18 are purple; and sections 20, 22 aregreen. Colors are a matter of design choice or volleyball rule.

The six panel sections 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 are arranged on the cover10 as three symmetrical pairs of panel sections, one section of eachpair being positioned on an opposite side of the volleyball coverrelative to the other. In other words, section 12 is opposite section14; section 16 is opposite section 18; and section 20 is oppositesection 22.

Each colored panel section 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 is symmetricallydivided into two cover panels. Cover panels 12 a, 12 b, for example,make up panel section 12; cover panels 14 a, 14 b make up panel section14; cover panels 16 a, 16 b make up panel section 16; cover panels 18 a,18 b make up panel section 18; cover panels 20 a, 20 b make up panelsection 20; and finally, cover panels 22 a, 22 b make up panel section22.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the make-up of the volleyball cover 10 will nowbe described. Reference numeral 24 generally indicates the volleyballcover or one panel. The volleyball cover 24 includes an outer layer ofpolyurethane material 26 laid upon a microfiber backing 28.

The polyurethane layer 26 has a plurality of dimples that are uniformlyplaced on the polyurethane layer, such that they are either symmetricalor in an equidistant relationship to each other. Although the densitymay be greater (as high as 500 dimples per cover panel), or lesser, thepresent version of the volleyball cover disclosed here has approximately400 dimples per cover panel 12 a, 12 b, 14 a, 14 b, 16 a, 16 b, 18 a, 18b, 20 a, 20 b, 22 a, 22 b. Therefore, in this specific example, thevolleyball cover (for one volleyball) would have a total ofapproximately 4,800 dimples (400 dimples per panel multiplied by 12panels).

Each dimple is circular and less than 3 mm. in diameter. The dimpledepth is sufficient to impact the airflow characteristics on the cover,and depth may be a variable, but its nevertheless recessed relative to asmooth cover. The thickness of the polyurethane layer 26 rangesapproximately from 1 to 2 millimeters in thickness. Similarly, themicrofiber backing 28 may be 1 to 2 millimeters thick. These dimensionsare variables and may change. The cover panels 24 are applied (as thecombination of polyurethane layer 26 and backing 28) to the underlyingvolleyball carcass.

Referring now to FIG. 7, which illustrates the reduced skive or “noskive” region in the volleyball cover 10, arrow 30 indicates the maximumwidth of the skive, which should be less than 1 centimeter. Arrow 32indicates maximum skive depth, which should be less than 3 millimeters.FIG. 7 provides a better idea as to how little the skiving should impactthe cover, with arrow 33 pointing to the region where the skive islocated. Arrow 35 indicates the break between individual cover panels.

FIG. 8 illustrates the cross-section of a volleyball, with the cover 10,including polyurethane and microfiber layers 26, 28. Underneath themicrofiber layer 26 is a layer of cloth wrap 34. Below the cloth wrap 34is a rubber bladder 36. Dimples are generally indicated by arrows 38 inFIGS. 6 and 8.

The volleyball is constructed in a conventional manner. The bladder 36is surrounded with cloth wrap 34 that is attached by saturating the wrapwith a glue, such as latex glue, for example. After this is done, thevolleyball cover 24 (as shown in FIG. 6) is hand-laid onto the wrap 34(each cover panel of the entire cover is bonded to the wrap) andadhesively bonded with only a shallow or barely any skive betweenindividual cover panels.

The combination of fewer cover panels, reduced skiving, and dimpling,provides an improved volleyball cover for gameplay.

It is to be appreciated that the foregoing description is not to betaken in a limiting sense. Instead, the scope of patent protection is tobe limited only by the patent claim or claims allowed by the U.S. PatentOffice, the interpretation of which is to be made in accordance with theestablished doctrines of patent claim interpretation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A volleyball cover, comprising: a plurality ofpanel sections arranged on the volleyball cover, each panel sectionincluding a plurality of circular dimples uniformly arranged on eachpanel section, with each circular dimple having a dimple diameter withinthe range of 1 to 4 millimeters, and still further, each panel sectionis separated from an adjacent panel by a reduced-depth skive, with themaximum width of the skive being no greater than 1 centimeter and themaximum depth of the skive being no greater than 3 millimeters.
 2. Avolleyball cover, comprising: a plurality of panel sections arranged onthe volleyball cover, each panel section including a plurality ofcircular dimples uniformly arranged on each panel section, with eachcircular dimple having a dimple diameter within the range of 1 to 4millimeters, and still further, all of the panel sections arranged onthe volleyball cover collectively providing approximately 4800 to 6000dimples on the volleyball cover.
 3. A volleyball cover, comprising: aplurality of panel sections arranged on the volleyball cover, each panelsection comprises an outer surface of a polyurethane material thatincludes a plurality of circular dimples uniformly arranged on eachpanel section, with each circular dimple having a dimple diameter withinthe range of 1 to 4 millimeters, and still further, the dimples areuniformly arranged on the polyurethane material in a substantiallyequidistant relationship to each other.